The only problem I see is that getting people to wash their hands in the first place is by far the more difficult problem. While many people are now sneezing by placing their nose into the crook of the arm at the elbow, many still don’t wash their hands before eating in public places after having had their hands on the escalator railings on door handles and on some merchandise. You will often see people leaving a washroom without washing their hands. Hence the constant need for posting hand washing reminders and instructions on the doors.

I believe that the approach to sneezing in the crook of one’s arm is being taught in elementary schools and being brought home to parents so it probably makes sense to train the kids to properly wash their hands and they will also take this home to their parents instead of so many colds and flues.